One dead, 15 rescued as boat capsizes in Lagos

A female passenger have been confirmed dead while 15 others were rescued, when a passenger ferry traveling from Addax jetty to Ibeshe collided with a submerged shoreline concrete at a construction site around the power line corridor at the Lekki Ikoyi Link Bridge.

A statement by the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said the incident occurred around 6:50 p.m on Wednesday.

According to the statement signed by Wuraola Alake of the Public Relations Unit of LASWA, one person was still missing as at the time the report was issued.

She said search and rescue teams from LASWA, along with volunteers, are still actively searching for the missing passenger.

She added that the recovered female corpse has been handed over to the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit (SEHMU).

The statement reads, ” At about 6.50 pm today, Wednesday 21, 2024, an Ibeshe-bound passenger ferry named T-Ben, having departed from Addax jetty, had a collision with a submerged shoreline concrete at a construction site around the power line corridor at the Lekki Ikoyi Link Bridge.

“15 of the 17 passengers said to be on board this boat have been rescued, with one casualty confirmed, while the rescue effort is still ongoing at the time of issuing this statement.

“Officers from the Search and Rescue Unit of the Lagos State Waterways Authority, The Lagos State Ferry Services, Commercial Boat Operators and other Volunteers are still at the incident location carrying out further rescue Operations.

“The officers from the Marine Unit of The Nigerian Police Force and the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA are currently at the LASWA office to hand over the recovered female corpse to the officers of the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit SEHMU.”